Online bookings for a first ride on Coventry Very Light Rail are now open.
People will be able to ride on the prototype battery-powered vehicle and give some feedback at the end.
The free rides will be available for 4 weeks from the end of May.
The vehicle, which runs on a 220-metre demonstration track, accommodates up to 17 seated passengers plus wheelchair or pushchair space during the tests.
The current track was constructed in under 8 weeks, and once in full operation will be able to hold 60 passengers.
The vehicle is similar to a tram but is more affordable, flexible and entirely battery-powered.
It will complement existing public transport and improve air quality from reduced congestion.
Online booking can be made on the Coventry City Council’s website.
“I’m really pleased that people now have the chance to get on and take a ride on our new system. It will run on tracks that were laid in just 8 weeks – proving what we said about speed and cost of this system, and it is of course developed and bult here thanks to the skills we have in this city in manufacturing.
“Coventry Very Light Rail is just one part of our plans to revolutionise transport in our city, tackle climate change, improve air quality, and provide a new reliable and accessible travel option.
“We will be running Very Light Rail for four weeks, and residents will have the opportunity to experience this one-of-a-kind vehicle and track system and provide feedback on the experience.
“I look forward to traveling in our vehicle on our track in our city and I hope lots of people sign up to experience it for themselves too.”
Councillor Jim O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration, and Climate Change at Coventry City Council
Responses
I have just taken a look at this on the https://www.coventry.gov.uk/coventry-light-rail website and I am a bit concerned as to the claims made for the track costings, having been involved with the Manchester Mertolink system during the track laying process, which threw up all sorts of unknown problems due to the ground conditions on the intended route.
They state that ‘not all utilities will need to be moved as the slab track design allows manhole covers to be inserted into them because its slab is made from ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC)’.
Now from experience utilities have to be removed from under Tram/Light Rail tracks as the utility companies need immediate access to repair and upgrade there already installed infrastructure that can’t be accessed from a manhole.
A good example of this situation would be on a newly repaved section of road, how long is it before a utility company comes along and digs a hole in it? a cousin who works for a utility company on the emergency repairs department tells me that in one case it was as little as 4 hours.
A major part during the street running sections of the Manchester Metrolink system was to redirect all the utilities out of the way of the tracks and to date none of the tracks have had to be taken up for utility repairs.